Receptacle for elements.



MTENTED PEB. 5.1907. H. P. R, L.- PRSGKB L G. A. WBDEKIND.

REGEPTACLE PORBLEMENTS.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 25. 1904.

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HEINRICH PAUL RUDOLF LUDWIGPRSCKE AND GUS'IAV ADOLPH WEDEKIND, OF HAMBURG, GERMAN Y; SAID PRSCKE ASSIGNOR' To SAIDWEDEKIND.

RECEPTACLE FOR ELEMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application tiled July 25,1904. Serial No. 218,156. j

To all wioin it vito/,y concern:

Beit known that we, HEINRICH PAUL RU- DOLF LUDWIG PRsoKE and GUsrAv ADOLPH W'EDEKIND, citizens of Hamburg, and residents of Hamburg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful improvements in receptacles for elements made of cast-iron, bronze, copper, or steel, the walls and artitions of which are so shaped as to afl'or su'iport to the reducin agent, for eXaInplIe, oXid of copper, of w ch the following is a speciication.

Receptacle for elements made of cast-iron bronze, copper, or steel, the walls and artitions of which are so shaped as to afl'or su'i.- port to the oxidizing agentfor eXainp e, oxid of copper.

The receptacles usually ein loyed in connection with elements with a kaline electrolytessuch, for instance, as belong to the types copper, zinc, alkaliare boxes constructed either of glass or of sheets of steel with the electrodes so hung or built in the walls of the cell as to be insulated; but this method of iixing the electrodes within the cell resu poses a certain amount of technical mow edge on the part of the people looking after the apparatus. Consequently it is not possible to entrust the task of regenerating the element-s to laymen. Moreover, when elements of the type copper, zinc, alkali have to be regeneratcdit often happens that the oXid-of-copper electrodes when taken out are injured, either by boing allowed to drop or to being knocked about, or it may happen that the electrodes buckle when heated forthcpurpose of oxidizing them afresh, and that they tend consequently to short-circuit with the adjoining electrodes of opposite polarity when replaced in the cells. Another wellknown form of constructing a cell is that adapted by Lalande. In this case powdered oxid of copper is placed at the bottom ol' an iron vessel or of a cast iron shell. 'Ihe method enployed for bringing the oxid of copper in contact with the bottom of the receptacle is, as will be easily seen, the worst which could have been adopted. Moreover, if Lalandes construction is adopted part of the hydrogen will act, polarizing as it collects all over the inner surface of the iron receptacle, and therefore the hydrogen will become very slowly absorbed. Com are, further, Carhart, Schoop, Primary E amants, 1895, page 75, last paragraph. The process of reducing the coppervin a cell constructed in accordance with Lalandes method suffers, moreover, from the further disadvantage of being very complicated, as after the reduction process has been completed the alkaline lye, or, to be more accurate, the ualkaline Zincate, having been poured off the copper which is found lying at the bottom,has to be washed thoroughly and then the copper has to be subjected to a considerable degree of heat for the purpose of oxidizing it afresh. All these disadvantages have been overcome by the adoption of the construction to which this description refers. Therein the inside walls of the cells or a number of partition-walls which may either be run in, screwed in, or riveted in and which are furnished either with small projecting bolts or with grooves, are covered with the reducing agent, and as the oxid of copper adheres in a solid condition to the parti tion-walls, which form a kind of support for it, the hydrogen will become absorbed quickly and easily; besides, this method, adopted for bringing about the contact of the oxid of co )per or of the spongycopper with the walls of the cell, zossesses great practical and commercial a vantages. In consequence of the arrangement adopted currents of high intensity may be obtained by means of such an element. Thisjisnot the case when Lalandes element is employed.

A further advantage of our construction, as compared with that of Lalande, consists in the simplicity with which it can be manipulated. I`o regenerate the element, one need only remove the zinc plate which hangs suspended from the cover of the cell, pour out the alkaline zincate, and then'subject the -cell for a few hours to a moderate heat in any position. There is no need for iirst washing out the cell, neither is there any danger that the reduced mass of spongy copper will fall out. ih hile in consequence of the complete Contact between the oxid of copper and the -walls of the cell on account of the solid 'roo spongy condition of copper situated on the bolts or in the grooves ot' the wallsrthe oxidation is ellected quickly and withoutdilliculty.

In the drawings, Figure l is a box in longitudinal section, the sides of which are used as bearers according to our invention. Fig. 2 is the same box in cross-section. Figzj'3`is the same box in plan view. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a box the inner sides'of which are provided with grooves instead of small projections. These grooves may beof dovetail cross-section. Fig. 5 is the same box in horizontal section. Fig. 6 is a crosssection ot a box with partitions. its inner l sides, as well as the partitions, are used as bearers for receiving the active matter. Fig. 7 is the same box in lan view. Fig. 8 is an elevation of a rounf` box the inner side of which is provided with small projections for receiving the active matter. Fig. Q is the same box in horizontal section.

Referring to Figs. l, 2, and 3, A represents a box, made of east-iron, bronze, copper, or cast-steel, the long sides I) of' Iwhich may be slightly bulged, as shown, to receive the aetive matter. The partitions electrically connected with the box will be lilled with the active matter. The bulged sides b and the partitions are provided at the inner sides with small projections c or, for instance, with grooves c. A cover d, either bolted in, pressed i n, or lixed in any other way and provided with an italia-rubber washer e, hermetically closes the box. A hole is drilled in the cover, where a vulcanite bushingfis inserted. Through the hole of the vulcanite bushingf passes the terminal q (insulated from the box and the cover) ol the electrode lc, which has the contrary polarity to the active matter 7i, placed in the sides of the box. A screw-bolt Z ol" the lid, electrically connected with the box, torms at the same time a clamp 0r binding-post m and serves as positive electrode lor the active matter t in the box electrically connected with it. The derivation (escape of the current) of the, we will say, Zinc electrode c, supported over the cover and insulated by the vuleanite bushing, which electrode is of contrary polarity to the matter placed in the grooves of the box, is cll'cctcd by the binding-post i, which is to be screwed Von the support g, depending 'from the vulcanite bushingf.

The element is made ready for use by -lilling the tank or rece )ta-cle with electrolyte, suspending the insu ated electrode of' contrary polarity from the cover, and bolting on the cover of the box. The regeneration is yell'ected by lifting and putting aside the cover after unboltin f or loosening it, together with the insulated p ate suspended therefrom having the contrary polarity-as, for in# stance, zinc-then by pouring out the elecl. Tlje battery-container electrode, lfavt ing Walls of cast-iron bulging outwardly to lcoperate with tie opposite electrode, a plurality of dovetailedliolding proj ections formed on the inside of said bulging walls and hardened, col erent copper oxid material on said walls eng/aging said projections forming a substantially liush surface.

i2. Tle battery-container electrode formed of cast-iron and lraving inner Walls provided With a plurality of holding projections and l` ard coherent copper oxid material on said walls engaging said projections so as to be capable of reoxidization by heating said containe1`-eleetr0de.

3. The battery-container electrode formed of leat-resisting conductive material and laving lard colerentcopper oxid material on its Walls, means on tlle walls to hold copper oxid, so as to readily reoxidize said material by lea-ting saidl container-electrode- 4. The battery-container electrode formed of l eat-resisting conductive material, ly aving ltard coherent oxid. material on the inner walls of said contailier-electrode, tle melt ing-point of said electrode being liiglier than tle temperature. of reoxidization of said oxid materia s0 tlzat said oxid material may be readily reoxidized by heating said container electrode.

5. The battery-electrode lorrned of heatresisting conductive material and provided with holding projections and having hard coherent copper oxid material on itswalls tle melting-point of said electrode being lfigl" er tl? an tile tcm )crature of reoxidization of said oxid material, so tlat said oxid material may be readily rcoxidized by heating said elect-rode.

(. Tlze battery-electrode formed of heat- 'resisting conductive material, and having hard colrerent oxid material on its walls, means on the walls to lrold said oxid mater rial, the melting-point ol said electrode being lligler than the tem )era-ture ol reoxidization- 0i said oxid material, so tltat said oxid mate,a rial may be breadily reoxidized by heating said electrode.

7. Tlc battery-container electrode, havin walls of cast-iron, a plurality of dovetaile holding projections formed on the inside of said walls and copper oxid material on said walls engaging said projections, forming a substantially llusb surface.

8. lle battcry-container elect'rode formed of lteat-resisting conductive material and having walls serving as a support for hard coherent copper oxid materia IOC 9. The batteryncontainer electrode formed i the melting-point `of the electrode being of lent-resisting conductive material having higher than tl at of the oxid material. walls bulging;r outwardly to coperatie with HEINRICH PAUL RUDOLF the opposite electrode and a luralit'y .o LUDWIG PRSCKE. holding projections formed on t :e inside of vGUSTAY ADOLPH WEDEKIND. said bulging walls, and hard coherent oxld Wltnesses:

material on said walls engving said projec- E. H. L. MUMMENHOFF, tions forming a, substantially flush surface, Q OTTO W. HELLMRICH. 

